Localized coupling



Sept. 7 1926. v 1,599,068

H. M. swoPE LOCALIZED COUPLING 1 Filed Jan. 16, 1923 Patented Sept. 7, k1926. Y fi UNITED "STAT YHowiinn ivi. sworn, or DAYTQN, onto.

` LoGALrznD courLIivG.'

" VApplication filed January 16, i823. Serial N'o. 613,070.

'My invention relates to couplings, cap `fasteners and the like and more particularly to means for fixedly interconnecting two relatively rotatable members, in anyVV selected positions of revoluble adjustment.

The invention is particularly .applicable to attachments of cap's, plugs, Vbushings or other analogous bodies, wherein either the attached or the ysupporting member is. screw threaded. n

The invention involves they use of a screw stud mounted eccentricallyfin relation with a'second screw threaded member, with the tially engages -on one side only, while the stud is gui-ded and supported by an unfthreadedabutnient upon the side opposite suchV tangential threaded engagement. ln practice, one ofthe members is provided with one or more longitudinal-ly disposed grooves in its `proximatey face, tov receive threaded screws lor studs which project peripherally beyond Vsuch grooves and beyond the proximate face `of the member into Etanygent-ia] vthreaded engagement with rthe secondA member.' K A The objectl 4of the inventioiiis to simplify the structure Aas wellas v.the means andl mode 4of operation ofV detachable caps, plugs, bushings and thelike, whereby they will not `only be cheapened in construction, but will be more efficient/,in operation, vcapable of 'being easily and lquick-ly adjusted and firmoluble adjustment, and unlikely toY get out y of repair.

A further object of the invention is tominimize the cost ofmanufacture, by elim-` inating the necessity for the second threaded member, and enable the use of ra simple and cheap form of threaded screw in 'lieu of cutting threads of largef diameter,

,A `further object of ythe invention is to 'provide such cheapgand economical means, which LVwill enable the attached 'member whether a cap, a plug, areducer vor bush- Yof other character to be firmly and securely'held in any predetermined` position Aof revolubile adjustment. i

lith the above primary and other incidenta'l objects infview Aas will more fully appear in the specification, the invention "consists ofthe features of construction, the

parts and combinations thereof, and .the mode of operation' or their equivalents as vhereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, there are shown.V several of `the preferred embodiments .of the invention, which, however, is capable of awide varietyl of ada'.=ptations.v

In the drawings, Fig. l is a sectional view,

showing an unthreaded cap-secured to` an internally threaded attachment flange` or boss.. Fig.y 2 is a transverse'sectional View K n on line 2--2V of Fig.` l. threads of which the screw stud tangenthreaded cap engaged with an eXteriorly secured in vthe manner hereinafter described. Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view` of ka hinge lug secured to a collar or inte-riorly threaded flange by the mode ofY attachment forming the subject matter hereof.

AFig. `7 .is ay bottoni plan-view of the vhinge lug shown in Fig. 6. F ig. S illustrates further modification wherein a threaded rlcus'hing or plug is secured-in an Unthreaded collar.' Fig!) is a transverse sectional view on -line 9 9 of Fig. 8.

Like parts are indicated bysimilar chary Uacters' of reference throughout `the several 'ly'secured in any selected position. of revtomobile radiator caps of the ornamental variety, wherein 'it is desired to place the ornamentin a certain direction, for attaching motor meters to the radiator filler spout inonder that' the motor 'meter' may face directly forward, for mounting n gasolene gauges in fuel tanks by engaging them in the filler openings, in such relation that the gauge mechanism Vwill oecupy predeteiw Fig. 3 lis a viewr similar to Fig. 1but showing 'the unmined position within the tank. The invention is also applicable to mounting bushings or reducers in crank heads or for attaching plumbing fittings, especially in those instances wherein the fittings must occupy a certain predetermined position. It may also be applied for attaching small bodies or lugs and the like to one side of a threaded flange or similar mounting.

Referring to the drawing, l is an internally screw threaded flange collar which may be the flanged orifice of a fuel tank, the filler spout of a radiator, a plumbing fitting such as a wall or floor flange, or other analogous design. OrdinarilyT such internally threaded flange would receive an eX- teriorlytln'eaded male member. In this instance, however, the male member 2, for illustrativepurposes, has been shown as a peripherally. flanged cap or plug, is entirely devoid of screw threads. Its diameter is such as to afford asliding fit within the screw threaded interior of the fla-nge l. The periphery of such closure member 2 is indented at 3 to afford a grooved or semicircular recess in which is located an attachment screw 4 having threads, the pitch of which is equivalent to that of the screw threads upon the interior of the flanged collar l. The periphery of such screw threaded stud 4 projects beyond the peripheral face of the closure member, and possesses screw threaded tangential engagement with the interior thread of-the flange l.v

Thus there are two screw threaded members, to wit: the flange l and screw threaded stud 4, which are of different diameter and eccentrically positioned for tangential engagement one with the other. This screw threaded enga-gement of the stud 4 with the collar l, occurs upon one side only, while the opposite side of the screw thread bears against the inner face of the unthreaded groove or recess 3, which thereby forms a guide and abutment for holding the screw stud in its operative engagement with the collar. By tightening the screw stud 4, the peripheral flange of the closure 2 is drawn tightly upon the flange collar l. However, a sealing gasket 5 is preferably interposed. For ordinary conditions of use a single screw stud is suflicient. However, if desired a plurality of the peripheral recesses 3 and screw studs 4 may be provided as shown in the sectional plan view Fig. 2. It is obvious that the closure 2 may be located in any selected position of revoluble adjustment in relation with the flange collar l, and then fixedly secured in such position by tightening the screw stud 4.

The construction shown in Figs. 3 and 4 is merely the reversal of that shown in Fi l and 2. In Fig. 3 the flanged collar l has been shown exteriorly threaded to re- Aceive a correspondingly interiorly threaded female cap or closure. However, in lieu of threading such female cap or closure, the closure 2 is devoid of screw threads, but is provided with a recess or groove 3 in its inner or proximate face, for engagement of the screw stud 4 which tangcntially engages with the external threads of the collar l. The stud 4 is of much smaller diameter than the threaded collar and iseccentrically positioned outside said collar, but in tangential relation therewith. The threads of the screw and collar are held in their tangential interengagement by the backing or abutment afforded by the interior face of the Unthreaded recess or groove 3 formed in the interior or proximate face of the closure.

F ig. 5 illustrates the invention as applied to a reducer or bushing. The construction is quite similar to that shown in F ig. l with the exception that the closure member or insert is provided with a lcentral screw threaded opening 6, and such closure or bushing is devoid of external threads, but

is secured in the threaded mouth of a pipe T by a stud 4.

In some instances, it is desirable to substitute for a screw threaded closure'eap or plug upon a radiator filler spout or the filler opening of the fuel tank, a hinged lid or closure. In Fig. 6 the present invention has been illustrated as applied to the attachment of a hinge lug to such screw threaded flange opening. In this instance, the hinge lug S is provided with an arcuate slot 9 agreeing with and fitting over the side of the threaded flange 10. The hinge lug also provided with a hole ll, which intersects the slot 9, particularly as shown in the bottom plan view Fig. 7. This hole 1l, receives the screw stud 4, the periphery of which projects slightly beyond the recess or hole ll, and into the slot 9, where it has tangential engagement with the thread 12 uponv the collar 10. By this means the hinge lug 8 may be secured in any selected radial position upon the colla-r 9, by the mere tightening of the screw 4.

In Figs. 8 and 9 there is shown a further modification or reversal of the construction wherein an exterior-ly threaded closure plug or male member is engaged in a plane or unthreaded collar or female member. In this case the Unthreaded flanged collar l is provided with an interior recess or groove 3 to receive the stud 4, which projects beyond such groove or recess into tangential engagement with the closure member 2, which is exteriorly threaded but slidingly insertable within the unthreaded collar.

It is to be uncle stood that the invention is not limited to the attachment of automobile accessories, and indeed not limited to flanged collar connections or pipe connections, but may be employed in various it is to be understood that the invention 1s not limited to the specific details shown, but that the means and construction hereinr disclosed comprises the preferred form of several modes of putting vthe invention into ett'ect and the invention is therefore claimed 'one' with the other in an point about their clrcum erences substan-` in any or' its forms or moditicationswithin the legitimate andivvalid scope of the ap,-V

pended claims.

Having thus claim: Y 1 l V l. In a detachable connection, a threaded member having the conventional' standard screw threads and an Unthreaded member, and a vscrew threaded stud likewise having conventional standard screw threads lineally spaced in accordance with those ot' the iirst mentioned member engaged with' the unthreaded member and eccentrically positioned in'relat-ion with the screw threads of thevthreaded member withthe threads of which the threads rof the stud tangentially engage. j

2. In aconnection of the character described, twoy screw threaded members each having conventional standard screw threads of like pitch of different diameters eccentrically positioned and .tangentially engaged V predetermined described my invention, I

tially as and for the purpose specified.

3. Meansv for detachably connecting two members in predetermined kradial relation, including a series of conventional standard screw threads uponone of the members, a revoluble screw threaded stud having conventional standard screw threads of like pitch carried by the other member in 'eccentric relation with saidseries of screw threads with which the threaded stud is tangentially engageable and an unthreaded guideabutment for the stud on the side opposite it-s tangential engagement with the series of threads by which the stud is held in engaged relation. Y

4. In a connection of the character described, two screw threaded members of ditferent diameters eccentricaily positioned and tangentially engaged one with the other,

and an unthreaded guide for one of the members by` which it is held in tangential threaded engagement with the lother member. 5. In a connection of the character described, a screw threaded member, a second member kengageable therewith having an axial groove therein, and a` screw threaded stud revolubly located in said groove' and extending therebeyond into rtangential engagement with the threads of the said screw threaded member the members being' engageable with each other at different tangential points to permit adjustment relative to each other. y

6. In a connection of the character described, a male and a female member, detachably engageable one with the other, one of said members being screw threaded, the

other member being devoid ot threads and having a longitudinally disposed unthreaded groove inl its proximate face, and a revoluble screw threaded stud located in said groove and extending therebeyond into tangential engagement with the threads of the threaded member. Y f v 7. In a connection of the character vdescribed, a screw threaded collar adapted to receive a closure capprovided with standard screw threads eugageable with those of the cellar, a substitute closure cap devoid of screw threads, and a screw threaded stud carried by the unthreaded closure cap and eccentrically positioned in relation with the screw threaded collar, the threads of which are lineally spacedjin accordance' with'those of the collar with which they tangentially interlock to secure the substitute closure cap in place. f

S. In a detachable connection, two members to be interconnected r,one ot which is provided with a succession of standard screw threads, a screw threaded studv carried by the other member, the lineal spacing ot the threads of said stud agreeing with those ofthe threaded member, said stud being eccentrically positioned in relation with the threaded member whereby the screw threads of the threaded member and stud tangentially interlock with each other the interlock being effected at anypoint on the threaded member, to enable desired relative adjustment of the first mentioned members one to another. y

9. Means tor connecting a fitting in any desired position of revoluble adjustment with a conventional screw threaded collar or ,the like, comprising a standard screw threaded stud ot materially less diameter lll) than the screw threaded collar eccentrically engaged therewith, with the screw threads of the stud andcollar tangentiallv interlocked with each other in any desiredgposition of revoluble adjustment of the collar.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 8th day ot January A. D. 1923.

HOWARD M. SWOPE. 

